Maharashtra: State Plans To Introduce New Smart Card For Driving Licenses And Vehicle Registration Certificates
Mumbai, 17th June 2023: There are indications that the new ‘smart card’ for driving licences and vehicle registration certificates will be made available to the public from July 1 in the state. The proposed plan is a significant step to address the problem of blurring information, which is a major drawback of the old smart cards. For this, the transport department has entered into an agreement with a company in Karnataka.
The Transport Department entered into an agreement with the Karnataka-based company ‘The MCT Card and Technology Pvt. Ltd.’ for the manufacture of new smart cards. Since the new ‘Polycarbonate’ smart card has laser print, the problem of blurring the information on the old smart card will be solved. Earlier, ink on cards made from polyvinyl chlorite (PVC) was eroded by friction. But the print on the new card will stand out for a long time.
Due to the termination of the contract with Hyderabad-based earlier smart card provider Rosmerta Company, there is a shortage of smart cards. This delay has led to a wait time of approximately one to two months for citizens in need of a smart card. Efforts are underway to rectify the situation, and it is expected that the new smart cards will begin distribution as scheduled from July 1.
To streamline the process, the printing of these updated smart cards will be centralised and carried out exclusively in three cities across the state: Pune, Mumbai, and Nagpur.
Vivek Bhimanwar, Transport Commissioner, Mumbai, said that the new ‘smartcard’ is world-class and will last for a long time. “Efforts are being made to start this activity from July 1, and around 45 thousand ‘smart cards’ will be received from Nagpur, Pune, and Mumbai centres to the transport department every day,” he said.
